Ex-members rail at 'slow' line progress

PUBLISHED: 10:31 17 March 2006 | UPDATED: 21:46 28 May 2010

FORMER members of the committee behind the re-opening of the Wisbech-March rail link has left a bitter message on the group's old website. It questions the lack of progress of the Bramley Line committee's ambitious project to get the branch line up and ru

FORMER members of the committee behind the re-opening of the Wisbech-March rail link has left a bitter message on the group's old website.It questions the lack of progress of the Bramley Line committee's ambitious project to get the branch line up and running as a tourist railway.Names of those behind the message have not been revealed, but it is known they are two of ex-committee members.The message says: "What has happened to the Smeeth Road signal box? It's rotting away in a yard in Wisbech."What has happened to five pristine former Gatwick Express coaches kindly donated by Fenland people? Rusting away for the last 12 months untouched in a siding in March up yard."What are the Bramley Line executive doing? Nothing has happened for months - still moaning about lack of progress."Same old headlines, same old story, same old faces..."But Peter Downs, Bramley line chairman, insists the project is making progress, with an announcement from Network Rail on the future of the line expected at the end of the month."A couple of disaffected members have gone away and have done their own thing on the old website," he said. "Unfortunately, there is nothing which can be done about that, but messages like this don't help the group."We are waiting to hear from Network Rail about whether it wants to sell or lease the line to the Bramley Line. And by the end of this month, we hope to have the A47 crossing reinstated."Mr Downs confirmed that the Smeeth Road signal box was being stored in Walpole St Peter, and the five Gatwick Express coaches, obtained by the committee in February, are being stored in March up yard."The Bramley Line as an organisation is getting stronger and stronger. In the past people have doubted us, but things are moving," he said.